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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29335590">Is it a Date?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rtnneedsaving/pseuds/rtnneedsaving'>rtnneedsaving</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Normal High School, Beginnings of a relationship, Bullying, Castiel is Claire Novak's Parent, Castiel is Jack Kline's Parent, Dean Winchester is Ben Braeden's Parent, Dean Winchester is Claire Novak's Parent, Dean Winchester is Jack Kline's Parent, Domestic Fluff, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, F/F, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, High School, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:55:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,720</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29335590</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rtnneedsaving/pseuds/rtnneedsaving</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sunday evening. They were eating at a diner they frequented for small occasions.</p><p>“So what do we think of Jesse?” Castiel asked, lifting his husband’s half-eaten burger from its plate across the table.</p><p>Dean rolled his eyes and drank from the bottle of beer he was nursing since they got to the diner. “Don’t pressure the kid, angel.”</p><p>-</p><p>Jack Kline and Jesse Turner have been locker neighbors for a few years now but they have never had a conversation. Senior year changes that and he's been the happiest he's ever been.</p><p>This is just a lighthearted family fic. Family? Yes, Destiel and DreamHunter are here to keep the Jays company for this fun ride!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Braeden &amp; Claire Novak, Ben Braeden &amp; Jesse Turner, Castiel &amp; Jack Kline, Castiel/Dean Winchester, Jack Kline &amp; Claire Novak, Jack Kline &amp; Kaia Nieves, Jack Kline/Jesse Turner, Kaia Nieves/Claire Novak</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chocolates</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I always wanted Jesse to come back and meet Jack. It would've been such an interesting dynamic but the producers and writers never did it. So I wrote this to satisfy my wants. I hope you enjoy as much as I did writing it. </p><p>Please don't forget to leave comments, thoughts, and suggestions. I appreciate everything!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sunday evening. They were eating at a diner they frequented for small occasions.</p><p>“So what do we think of Jesse?” Castiel asked, lifting his husband’s half-eaten burger from its plate across the table.</p><p>Dean rolled his eyes and drank from the bottle of beer he was nursing since they got to the diner. “Don’t pressure the kid, angel.”</p><p>A small smile crept its way onto Jack’s lips. He enjoys seeing his dads bicker. Uncle Sam told him that old married couples do that to keep a healthy romance. It was a form of… he forgot the term uncle Sam used.</p><p>Castiel sighed. “I <em>am</em> sorry for being interested in our child’s romantic life.” He put down the burger on his own empty plate.</p><p>Dean tried to reach for the burger but stopped when Castiel glared at him—<em>Cholesterol</em>—swatting his hand away with that ironwood gaze of his. He put both of his hands up in surrender, “Let him start the conversation himself. It’s not like we were eager to tell our parents our dating life back when we were his age.”</p><p>Jack took a sip of his strawberry-chocolate milkshake. “It’s alright,” he said, Castiel’s eyes darting an <em>I-told-you-so </em>at Dean. “I like Jesse’s hair.”</p><p>Dean smiled widely and turned to his husband, “He <em>likes</em> his hair.”</p><p>“I thought we weren’t going to pressure him,” said Castiel, raising both eyebrows.</p><p>“I’m just teasing,” Dean defended. “So what other <em>parts</em> of him do we like?”</p><p>“Dean! Language!”</p><p>“Love language!” Jack interrupted, remembering what uncle Sam called what his parents were doing. Castiel’s head tilt is on him, as equally confused as the look his other dad gave him.</p><p>Castiel clasped his fingers together and rested them on the table; just beyond the half-eaten burger, forming a wall to keep Dean away. “Excuse me?” he asked.</p><p>“Oh, no!” Jack practically shouted. “I mean, I like his lips. Too.” Both of his dads smiled at him, expecting a follow up. But he didn’t really know what else to say.</p><p>“Kissing on the first date, Jack?” Asked Dean, a small chuckle escaping him.</p><p>Jack waves both his hands in front of him, equal parts shocked and equal parts thinking <em>I wonder what it feels like to kiss him.</em> “That’s not what I meant. We didn’t kiss,” he protested. He stared at his plate, 4 different sauces smeared on a few pieces of chicken nuggets and fries. He needed to word his thoughts carefully so his dads didn’t misunderstood. That would only prompt Castiel’s overprotectiveness and Dean’s overeager teasing.</p><p>After a few moments he settled for, “I like looking at him.”</p><p>A hearty laugh escaped Dean. A little too loud for him as he sat directly to his right. “Have I ever told you how—even before we got our shit together—your dad loved to look at me too?” He clapped his hand at his son’s back, “Would stare at me while I wasn’t looking and kept at it even when I took notice!”</p><p>He beamed at his other dad who was completely flushed. He always did notice his parents’ staring contests but he always thought it came with being together for as long as they have.</p><p>“If I recall correctly, it was you who angrily yelled “No one kisses Cass but me” when Bartholomew attempted to at the hallway in our senior year.” Castiel countered.</p><p>Dean with his free hand took one of his husband’s in his, breaking the wall around the burger. “And I kissed you then and there.”</p><p>“You just want to get the burger, Dean,” said Castiel.</p><p>As if on cue his other hand took the now free plate, “Damn right, angel.” He turned to his giggling son.</p><p>“Dad, your cholesterol can’t go any higher,” Jack said as a matter of fact.</p><p>“Sure it can. Ain’t no nail on my back yet.”</p><p>Castiel’s eyes bored holes on Dean’s skull as his husband took a large bite. “I didn’t even know you liked me back then.”</p><p>“You would’ve found out anyway,” Dean said with a wink, finally reaching for the untouched glass of water that sat beside his now empty beer bottle.</p><p> </p><p>Jack basked in the ghostly light from the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling of his room. He stared at the large Star Wars logo at the center of the stickers above him, a franchise he loved from his parents’ time. Dinner earlier was fun and it wasn’t often his dads reminisced about their past. Uncle Sam said that the world wasn’t kind to his dads growing up. He knew from his History classes that the world then wasn’t at all kind to people like him and his dads, to women like auntie Rowena, to uncle Rufus personally.</p><p>His phone lit up beside him. A text from Jesse.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>[10:21PM] Jesse: Hey. You up?</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>[10:21PM] Jack: I am awake. Is there something on your mind?</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>[10:22PM] Jesse: Can I call?</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Jack didn’t waste time to reply and called him as soon as he read the text.</p><p>“Hello.”</p><p>“Hey, beautiful,” Jesse’s smooth voice washed over him, sending joyful warmth.</p><p>“So… Is there?” Jack asked.</p><p>“Is there what?”</p><p>Jack sat up and pushed his back to the headboard, “Is there something on your mind?”</p><p>There was a pause. “Yeah. There is,” replied Jesse.</p><p>“Care to tell me what?”</p><p>“You.”</p><p>Jack chuckled, “I don’t think I count as a what, Jesse.”</p><p>“You know…” Jesse didn’t even finish speaking as his quiet laughter took over his voice. “Jack, I had so much fun yesterday.”</p><p>The young Winchester smiled at the thought of his first date with the other boy.</p><p>-</p><p>
  <em>He was pulling out books he needed for his afternoon classes and to his right, Jesse was doing the same. They’d been locker neighbors for the past two years but they never really talked, only knew each other’s names from the classes they shared. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>When he closed the door to his locker he jumped seeing Jesse look at him, lips clamped, knocking back words that waited to let fly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hello. Is there anything you want, Jesse?” Jack asked politely.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly Jesse was more interested in their lockers. Taking that as a no Jack decided to take his leave. But Jesse gripped his left arm. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yes?” He said, staring at the hand clasped firmly on his arm.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Uhm, listen, Jack. I know we’re not really friends but do you think…” Jesse trailed off, lost in the slate blue of Jack’s stare.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jack’s head tilted slightly. “Do I think what?” He urged. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Tomorrow’s Saturday,” Jesse paused. “Do you think you’d want to hangout, maybe?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There was a moment of silence from both of them before Jack bluntly asked “Is it a date?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He could see Jesse contemplated for a second, “Why?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, because I need to ask permission from my dads first,” he saw Jesse’s eyes widen when he heard an ‘s’ there at the end.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The corner of Jesse’s lips curved, “Yes, I’m asking you out on a date.”</em>
</p><p><em>Jack pulled out his phone and immediately texted Dean knowing he’d be more open to him going out with someone. </em><strong>Yes. But ask your father </strong><em>was Dean’s immediate reply. He debated with himself for a second, stole a look at Jesse and saw how nice the way the length of his hair allowed it to be pressed all the way back. Castiel took a little while longer to reply and he and Jesse stood awkwardly in the slowly emptying hallway. </em><strong>You have my permission</strong> <em>Castiel texted back. </em></p><p>
  <em>“Okay, I’m allowed to go!” Jack said, beaming at the other boy. “I have never been on a date before,” he said excitedly.</em>
</p><p>-</p><p>“I had fun too, Jesse.”</p><p>“I’m happy to hear that.”</p><p>Despite being on a call, there was comfortable silence. But Jack felt he needed to speak, “I’d be happier if we had lunch tomorrow together at school.”</p><p>“D’yah really mean that?” There was a subtle worry in Jesse’s voice.</p><p>“Of course, Jesse,” Jack assured him. “You can sit with me and my friends.”</p><p>He could hear Jesse think from the other end of the line. He closed his eyes, thinking he said something wrong, and then Jesse spoke. “Okay, Jack. I would love that.”</p><p>“So it’s a date then?” he asked boldly.</p><p>Jesse laughed, “Is it really a date with other people there?”</p><p>“My dads would ask each other out on a date and they’d always end up doing simple things around the house or with me and Claire and Ben or my uncles,” he started. He could feel Jesse silently asking him <em>where was he going with this</em> but he pressed on. “I asked why and they said any activity is a date as long as you liked the other person.”</p><p>“And do you like me, Jack?”</p><p>“Jesse,” Jack smiled to himself. “I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t.”</p><p> </p><p>Morning came and Jack woke up feeling more himself than he had ever been. The weekend—<em>was Sunday a weekend?—</em>had been the best couple of days of his Senior year.</p><p>Not once did he think someone would ask him out on a date. He was beginning to think that the high school romances that he watched in shows or read in fanfiction wasn’t for him. But Jesse changed that. Not that they had a romance. But that first date could be a start to something like one.</p><p>As the smell from fresh bacons wafted into his room he decided to go downstairs, expecting Dean to already have a plate prepared for him.</p><p>And he was right. He entered the kitchen as Dean dropped scrambled eggs on one of the plates. His dad looked up and saw him beaming, “Hey, sport. You’re awfully cheerful this morning?”</p><p>“I’m just happy,” he declared. He took his seat and immediately bit down on some bacon.</p><p>His dad took the seat across from him, mug in hand and a proud smile on his face. “Jesse making you feel all the good things right off the bat huh?” Dean said as he sipped his coffee.</p><p>“Dad! We’ve gone on one date,” Jack defended himself from the embarrassment that jumped at him. That’s when he noticed that there were two extra plates from the usual three they had most of the year. When he was about to ask where his other dad was a voice as confident as Dean’s spoke.</p><p>“Who’s gone on one date with who?”</p><p>Jack turned to see his sister, all smug, blonde, and leather jacket as the dad across from him was, leaning on the doorframe. “Claire!” he said as he stood and went to hug her tight. “I missed you.”</p><p>Claire was in college taking up Mechanical Engineering so she was only ever home during the holidays. So when he heard that she was going to take the semester off and stay home for a while he was ecstatic. Even with all the teasing and big sister hovering to come. Everyone they knew said that they were mixed and matched from their dads’ parts, albeit built differently from one another.</p><p>“Hey, kid,” said Kaia, smiling at him from behind Claire.</p><p>“Kaia!” said Jack as he pushed Claire aside to give her girlfriend a hug. “You’re here. You’re all right!”</p><p>Kaia laughed, “Uhm, yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”</p><p>“Father said you got into a big fight with Claire because of some stupid thing she did,” replied Jack.</p><p>He turned to look at Claire who took her seat on the table beside Dean. “Uhm, rude,” Claire chimed.</p><p>“We’re all good, kid,” Kaia assured him, making her way to the seat in front of Claire. “Don’t worry.”</p><p>Jack noticed Castiel come in through the front door, holding bags that he assumed were Claire’s and Kaia’s. “Good morning!”</p><p>“Good morning, Jack,” greeted Castiel. “I’m going to bring these to your room,” he told Claire and he went up the stairs.</p><p> </p><p>When Castiel got back he took a seat at the head of the table, Dean to his right. And even though only he was religious in their family—being raised Catholic—they said grace before they started breakfast.</p><p>It was small talk in between bites. Mostly about the drive to and from the airport, Claire’s interest in helping Dean manage the garage while she was here, and Kaia’s recent apprenticeship with Derek Swan—who Jack found out was a famous contemporary painter.</p><p>“Enough about me,” said Kaia. “There’s someone more important we have to talk about.”</p><p>Jack, who immediately knew where this was headed, said “Who?” as he took a sip of his hot chocolate drink. He imagined the Ahsoka print on his mug that reached out was wielding the Force to make his family drop the just opened conversation.</p><p>“Jack went on his first date the other day,” Castiel said with more enthusiasm than Jack would usually expect from him. “A cute boy from his school asked him out.”</p><p>Jack put down his mug slowly, “I never said he was cute.”</p><p>“Oh really?” asked Kaia.</p><p>Dean laughed, “So you <em>don’t</em> like looking at his hair and lips?”</p><p>Claire nudged Jack’s shoulder, “What did you guys do, huh?”</p><p>“You didn’t tell him you do cocaine, did you?” Kaia said laughing. Jack was trying to convince his sister’s cool new girlfriend that he was punk when they first met and it backfired with one dad scolding him about lying and the other laughing himself breathless.</p><p>“We just went out for dinner and a movie,” Jack corrected.</p><p>“Oh, yeah?” Claire smirked, “Bet you did that weird stationary hand wave you do when you meet up.”</p><p>“I don’t do that.”</p><p>“That flat “Hello” of yours didn’t scare him away?” Kaia added.</p><p>“I feel mildly offended by that,” Castiel said jokingly.</p><p>“Don’t be,” Dean laughed and took his husband’s hand. “Your Hellos are to die for, babe.”</p><p>“Jesus! Gross” Claire said, making barfing noises after.</p><p>Dean looked at Jack, “All I’m saying is that you got that from your father here.” Jack smiled at that, feeling validated. “If that could make me fall in love with my angel, maybe it could do the same for you.”</p><p>“Nobody’s falling in love with anyone,” Jack said.</p><p>“Well… not yet,” Kaia responded and Jack couldn’t help but agree.</p><p>“Tell that to Harper,” Claire immediately added.</p><p>Everyone at the table except Jack burst out laughing. Harper was this girl from his school that followed him around Junior year. She would say really insane things like declaring her love for him even though they didn’t really know each other but would immediately leave right after said declarations. He told her many times that he wasn’t into girls but she pressed on. It only stopped when she started dating the school’s quarterback. He can’t say he was grateful because said quarterback kept on threatening him if he didn’t stay away from <em>his </em>girl.</p><p>Jack pulled himself from his thoughts. “Harper didn’t like me,” he said.</p><p>“And how’re you so sure, little bro,” Claire humored him.</p><p>“She didn’t ask me out,” Jack said flatly and everyone was laughing again.</p><p> </p><p>Claire insisted on dropping Jack off to school using Castiel’s car, the tan Lincoln they affectionately called the <em>Pimpmobile</em>. It was a perfect contrast to Dean’s black Impalla called <em>Baby.</em> They had the car parked in front of the school, Claire and Jack sat on the hood while Kaia remained in the front seat. She wanted to surprise Ben, never telling him that she got back this morning.</p><p>Right on cue they see Ben turn the corner. His face immediately lit up and his pace quickened as he got closer to them. “Claire!” he shouted when he was just a few feet away.</p><p>“Hey, champ,” Claire waved. “Alright, come here!” She said when she saw the look on his face, expecting a hug. In her head she laughed at how past!Dean Ben’s reluctance to show affection in public is.</p><p>After an internal debate Ben did hug her. Him being a little shorter than Claire had his cheek pressed against her shoulder in their tight embrace. “I missed you, sis,” he said. And he angled himself to wave at Kaia who returned the greeting with a nod.</p><p>“Dude, why didn’t you tell me big sis was coming back today?” Ben then pushed Jack a little stronger than he intended. “Sorry,” he apologized seeing as how his brother almost fell.</p><p>“Trust me I didn’t know,” Jack said, steadying himself not to trip further on the gutter.</p><p>“I wanted to surprise you both,” Claire said.</p><p>From inside the car Kaia joined in, “She’s been planning this for weeks!”</p><p>“Well, we have to go,” Claire said. “We need sleep.”</p><p>“Okay, sis,” Ben pouted. “See you this weekend?”</p><p>Their older sister smiled, “Sure, kid.”</p><p>But before Claire stepped on the gas, Jack stopped her, “Guys, wait.”</p><p>The two women in the car stared at him waiting for him to continue.</p><p>“Dad keeps dental dams in the medicine cabinet in case you brought Kaia—” Jack wasn’t able to finish when Claire sped away and the pimpmobile disappeared into the distance. He smiled, getting a jab at her sister and her girlfriend, payback for what happened in breakfast.</p><p>“That was a good one,” said Ben, composing himself from laughter.</p><p>“Yo, my dudes.”</p><p>Both boys turn to see Maggie skipping towards them.</p><p>“Hello,” Jack said. He stared at his right hand as it stood steady beside him, palm flat, fingers pointing straight towards the sky. <em>Son of a bitch.</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>[9:25] Jesse: Meet you in the lockers later?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>[10:05] Jack: Sure! :)</strong>
</p><p>Jack put some books he no longer needed inside his locker. He got there before Jesse so he took the time to organize his things. The morning went by slower than he wanted. He was looking forward to spending more time with Jesse that the classes felt excruciatingly slower. He felt a tap on his shoulder.</p><p>He closed his locker as he turned and saw Jesse smiling at him. “Jesse!” he said with a wide smile.</p><p>“Hey, handsome.” Jesse said. “Ready to gra—”</p><p>“What’s up, back-alley!” Jesse was a cut off by one of the boys from one of the athletics teams. Jack wasn’t sure which one. The boy smacked the back of Jesse’s head as they passed them. His smile faltered and Jack felt his insides cave in.</p><p>The bully turned to look at the other boy with him and spoke loudly for everyone in the hallway to hear. “Did you hear that? He called Winchester handsome.”</p><p>“Orphaned and gay,” shouted the other boy. And some students who were paying attention laughed at Jesse. The bullies turned the corner and disappeared.</p><p>Jesse bit his lips, closed his eyes, and brushed back the strands of his hair that were displaced. When he looked up, Jack’s face was riddled with concern.</p><p>“Ready to grab lunch?” Jesse said with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>Jack introduced Jesse to Ben and Maggie who they met at the line in the cafeteria. After grabbing whatever’s passable for the food authority’s baseline they found a square table perfect for the four of them. Jack and Jesse sat next to each other.</p><p>Once they sat down Jesse shivered as he felt a hand touch his hair, the events earlier still in his mind. “Please don’t do that,” he asked, his fingers closing in on themselves.</p><p>“Maggie, stop,” said Jack as he threw a balled tissue paper at her.</p><p>She slowly pulled her fingers away from Jesse’s hair, “It’s like a chocolate waterfall.”</p><p>Jack couldn’t help but agree. Jesse’s hair did remind him of the chocolate fountain at uncle Sam and aunt Eileen’s wedding last year.</p><p>“Please excuse Ms. Waiting-for-a-lawsuit here,” Ben quipped as he wiped his mouth with a napkin, balled it, and threw it at Maggie. “She’s perpetually high.”</p><p>Maggie took a half-bitten chicken nugget and threw it square on Ben’s face.</p><p>“Are your friends usually like this?” Jesse asked Jack.</p><p>Jack staring at the other boy’s eyes, whose hues perfectly matched his glorious mane, chuckled. “Well Ben isn’t like this during family dinner.”</p><p>“Family dinner?” asked Jesse.</p><p>“Oh, we’re brothers,” Ben clarified. Which only made Jesse more confused.</p><p>“Ben, we share the same Physics class,” Jesse said and he turned to Jack. “You don’t share a surname?”</p><p>Jack thought to himself. How would he explain things to Jesse? “It’s kinda complicated—”</p><p>“I didn’t take Dean’s—my dad who is also one of his dads—last name,” said Ben in one go, still at his mini-food fight with Maggie.</p><p>“Didn’t you say your dads were high school sweethearts?” Jesse asked Jack. “Then how are you the same age?” He immediately followed.</p><p>“I guess that’s complicated too,” Jack tilted his head a little, brows furrowed.</p><p>“Jack’s adopted,” Maggie said as if it was hers to tell. Jesse was more shocked that Jack was okay with it. Okay with it or didn’t hear it all as Jack was still thinking to himself.</p><p>Ben finally ceased his altercation with Maggie and said “Dean knocked my mom up before he and Castiel got together. He on the other hand—” Ben pointed to Jack, “Castiel’s best friend got him the same year.”</p><p>“Kelly—my mom—didn’t make it,” Jack was pulled from his thoughts by the mention of his late mother. “She wanted Castiel to raise me but my grandparents only relented until he got a decent job.”</p><p>Jesse looked at him, a soft gaze. Jack could see there was no judgment in the boy’s eyes and he smiled. “A year and a half later my dads signed adoption papers.”</p><p>After Jesse returned Jack’s soft smile he turned to Ben. “So you live together?”</p><p>Jack and Ben laughed at the same time. “Nah,” Ben answered. “Mom knew Dean was hella gay for Cass. Was determined to raise me on her own.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, there was too much exposition today,” Jesse said and Jack laughed at the sentiment. School was over and Jesse offered to walk Jack home. Convinced him he had nothing better to do anyway.</p><p>Jack never thought he’d love spending time with Jesse. Yes, the amount of time they spent coincidentally taking things out from their lockers at the same time these past few years was admittedly longer than the past two days. But to spend time with him as an actual decision made it feel so much more.</p><p>The sun in the distance was falling asleep and its yawns made its flaxen light make the darkening clouds look like ripples through an orange sky. The soft crunch of their shoes on the pavement’s loose concrete was music to Jack’s ears. He couldn’t be any more happier with how this day turned out. As far as Mondays go that is.</p><p>They stopped at Jack’s house and stared at each other for a while. “Well, this is my stop,” Jack said, pointing to the blue house turning purple as the dusk settled around them.</p><p>“Will there be a third go?” Jesse asked sheepishly.</p><p>“A third date?”</p><p>Jesse nodded.</p><p>“Of course, Jesse.”</p><p>The long haired boy stepped closer, “The weekend then?”</p><p>“Maybe not this weekend?” Jack said and Jesse’s smile falls a little. “Family dinner and my big sister just got back.”</p><p>“You have an older sister?”</p><p>Jack was about to answer but the front door opened and they saw Castiel smiling at them. “Jack?”</p><p>“That’s my father,” Jack said excitedly. Something inside him was eager for Jesse to meet the rest of his family.</p><p>“Hello, Mr. Winchester!” Jesse said, offering an informal salute to the man who was… oddly wearing a trench coat. Or was it an overcoat?</p><p>“You must be Jesse,” Castiel said. Smiled and he turned to reenter the house but stopped halfway, “Jack, dinner’s almost ready. Better head on in.”</p><p>The boys watched Castiel fade from view. Jesse’s fingers somehow managed to find themselves in between Jack’s and he squeezed.</p><p>“See you at school,” said Jack as he let go of Jesse and went towards his front door.</p><p>“See you at school, beautiful.”</p><p>Jesse began walking towards his house when he heard Jack call out his name.</p><p>Jack wanted to say something before Jesse completely left. The other boy had given him compliments and had said nice things to him since their date and he wanted to return the favor. He just didn’t know how. But when Jesse turned back, it dawned on him.</p><p>“I love chocolate.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. References</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“You know how people hate on it in social media!”<br/>Jack sighed, “Jesse, I am not one of those people.”<br/>Jesse hummed and smiled at Jack. He can’t wait to see that smile in person again.<br/>“I think it’s a good movie, you know?” said Jesse.<br/>“Cats?” Jack’s brows furrowed, “You just told me that not 30 minutes ago.”<br/>“No—I mean yes,” and then Jesse paused, took time to collect his thoughts. “Yes, I think Cats is a good movie. But “Those People” is a good film too.”</p><p>-</p><p>Family dinner is here and stories will be told.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So here's the second chapter! I enjoyed writing this one as well. We get backstories on the characters and we get to know them and their family dynamics. I hope you all like it!</p><p>Please don't forget to leave kudos if you liked this chapter! Feel free to leave comments if you liked it or if you have ideas on how it could go or if you just want to say something!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, we’re prepping family dinner!” Claire said as she walked in the kitchen, raising her arm so her phone’s front camera could cover everything around her.</p><p>Kaia was cutting up some carrots when she heard her girlfriend walk in. “You mean <em>we</em> are making dinner,” Kaia clarified.</p><p>Claire rolled her eyes before returning her attention to her phone screen.</p><p>From the stove, Dean turned around holding a fresh pot of the oxtail stew he found online and decided to cook. “Hey, Jody!” he said, dropping the pot on the kitchen table.</p><p>“Hey, Deano!” said the spikey-haired brunette on the other side of the video call.</p><p>“Like I said,” Claire gave Kaia a side-eye. “We’re making dinner. What’s this for?” she asked, holding up a bowl of diced meat.</p><p>“That is for the menudo!” said Kaia.</p><p>“Hmm,” Claire hummed. Noticing the jar of tomato sauce in front of her, she picked it up and turned to Jody, “I guess we’re Filipino now.”</p><p>“<em>We</em> are trying new things,” said Dean. His voice was loud enough to startle Claire, she almost dropped the jar.</p><p>“Okay,” Jody cut in. “Anymore emphasis on <em>we</em> and you <em>three</em> will make me go weewee.”</p><p>“Feeling the years piling up, Jody?” Claire quipped.</p><p>“Maybe,” Jody answered. “Or… you calling my place home for most of the year is ageing me faster than the speed of light.”</p><p>Jody ran an all-girls boarding house for college students and Claire was her second bed spacer. Another girl named Alex being the very first. Jody used to be a sheriff who was friends with uncle Bobby and uncle Rufus. But when her work got the best of her, she resigned, packed her things and moved several states away. She doesn’t like talking about her past life and neither Claire nor Alex ever really pressed her about it.</p><p>Kaia laughed. Loud and pointed. Claire threw a piece of meat at her, “That is not real laughter.”</p><p>“Sure it is,” Kaia quickly answered. She laughed again, loud as it was theatrical.</p><p>“I’m pretty sure it isn’t.”</p><p>“Star-Lord. Rocket. No fighting in my kitchen,” said Dean, wiping his face with the towel hanging from his right shoulder.</p><p>“Claire, you’re not making things harder for Jody are you?” Dean asked his daughter. Claire sensed an <em>If you do you’re in trouble</em> underneath the piercing glare he gave her. “Tell me she isn’t, Jody.”</p><p>“Relax!” Jody assured him, her voice higher than it was a few moments ago. “Nothing my mom voice can’t handle.”</p><p>Claire pointed to her phone as soon as she heard Jody’s voice, raising both eyebrows very much like Castiel.</p><p>“Whatever you say, Jody,” Dean surrendered.</p><p>“Why don’t you go shower and get dressed, babe?” Kaia suggested.</p><p>“Okay! Bye, Jody!” Claire dropped the call after Jody said her farewells. Stopping just short of the kitchen entrance, she looked at her girlfriend. “For the record, I’m Star-Lord.”</p><p>“With a gut like your dad’s,” said Kaia, a small chuckle leaving her lips. “Sure you are.”</p><p>Dean almost dropped the bowl he just took from one of the cabinets above the kitchen counter.</p><p> </p><p>In the living room Castiel stood behind the sofa. Jack sat on the floor in between the wooden coffee table and said furniture his father was brooding behind. They were watching Ahsoka duel with Darth Vader, Jack flinching whenever a swipe got too close or when their lightsabers hacked the surrounding architecture. Well, Jack was watching. Castiel watched <em>him</em>, more entertained at how invested his son looked while watching.</p><p>When Vader’s helmet got struck, his right eye exposed for all the world to see, Jack imagined his eyes glowing as well. <em>Gold was a good eye color to have.</em></p><p>The doorbell rang and Jack jumped, giddy and brimming with excitement. Castiel took the remote and paused the TV as the kid ran to the front door.</p><p>Jack was greeted by Lisa and Ben. He pressed Lisa to his side, hugging her the most the casserole she held allowed him to.</p><p>“Hello, Lisa.”</p><p>“Hey, Jack,” Lisa greeted back. “I will bring <em>this</em> to the kitchen,” she said, her lips pointing towards her cargo.</p><p>Jack smiled at her and turned to his brother.</p><p>“Hey, dude!” Ben greeted him, a bro hug immediately followed.</p><p>They started walking towards the living room. “We’re watching Rebels,” Jack said.</p><p>Ben jumped onto the sofa, his feet raised to the armrest at its sides, knowing his brother liked to sit on the floor. “Nice.”</p><p>Jack picked up the remote and pressed play. He noticed his father was no longer there and deduced he went to the kitchen to probably talk to his other dad and Lisa.</p><p>“Wouldn’t it be awesome to be able to use the Force?” Jack asked. But it was more of a statement than a question.</p><p>Ben nodded, lips pouting in agreement. But the nod and pout meant that what Jack said was indisputable. “True. But I’d prefer to use a weapon I can actually touch,” he said.</p><p>“Like a lightsaber?”</p><p>“Nah. Like one of those one-hand blasters!” Ben said animatedly. He rose from laying on the sofa and pretended to pull out a gun, aiming at Vader on the screen who just failed to capture Ahsoka.</p><p>“Oh,” Jack pondered for a bit. “Han Solo or Boba Fett?”</p><p>“Solo! Definitely sold on riding the Millenium Falcon!” Ben said. After a few finger guns at the different decorations and furniture in the living room he turned to Jack. “And you could be Luke!”</p><p>“Why?” Jack asked, his head tilt making its cameo.</p><p>“You’re kinda a dork like Luke.”</p><p>“I guess you’re right,” said Jack, staring at the carpet. And then it dawned on him. “Wait, what?”</p><p>“And you’re obviously into that telekinesis business.”</p><p>Jack nodded to that. He did want to learn how to move boulders with his mind. Or at the very least a #2 pencil.</p><p>“Plus Luke’s gay, right?” Ben said.</p><p>Jack got confused for a second, “I don’t think they ever explicitly say he was gay.”</p><p>“I’m pretty sure he is,” said Ben, now back to pointing finger guns at the chachkies dotting the shelves. When he turned to point it at the door he saw Kaia.</p><p>“Hey, padawans,” she said with a shit-eating grin. “Dinner’s ready. Time to take your seat in the Council.”</p><p> </p><p>They said grace. As soon as they spoke their ‘Amens’, Ben and Dean, at the exact same moment reached for the serving spoon closest to them and grabbed large portions of stew and menudo.</p><p>Jack almost jumped when two arms flew right before him, reaching for whatever was hidden by his shock.</p><p>“Gosh!” said Lisa, catching Dean’s attention as he took a generous amount of the mashed potatoes she brought.</p><p>“What?” Dean said as he passed the serving spoon to his husband. Castiel chuckled and Dean turned to him. “What?” he asked again, his voice genuinely curious.</p><p>Castiel scooped up some mashed potatoes and plopped them on his plate. The starchy paste squelched as it hit the ceramic. “There’s no denying Ben’s your son,” he said as-matter-of-factly.</p><p>“I swear both of you eat like you’ve never had a proper kitchen growing up,” Lisa said as she filled her plate.</p><p>Dean scoffed at her, “Maybe in some alternate universe.” In his mind he imagined himself as a monster hunter in that universe. <em>That would’ve been awesome.</em></p><p>“You better ease up on the servings, old man,” raised Claire. “Kaia’s already noticed that 3 months old baby you’re carrying.”</p><p>“And I never check out guys,” Kaia added, sipping on her glass of iced tea.</p><p>Ben laughed, suppressed and muffled because of the spoon halfway through his mouth. He chewed a few seconds before speaking. “Geez, dad. When the lesbians take notice—”</p><p>“Please don’t speak with food behind on lips,” Castiel said and Lisa tapped Ben’s arm rather sharply.</p><p>“I’m pretty sure that isn’t how the saying goes,” said Lisa, Castiel’s brows furrowing in confusion. “But if you’re going to talk, chew and swallow first,” she told her son.</p><p>“Listen to your mother,” Dean pointed to Ben, but as if in bitter irony, a piece of meat escapes his lips and drops on the table beside his plate.</p><p>And much like that piece of meat, a small laughter escaped Jack’s lips. “Dad, you’re not really setting a good example,” he said.</p><p>Dean took a huge gulp of his beer, “Do as I say not as I do.”</p><p>“So, Jack,” Lisa raised her voice, too cheery. It was obvious she wanted to change the topic.</p><p>Jack faced towards her direction, “Yes, Lisa?”</p><p>“Ben told me…” <em>Please don’t ask about Jesse, </em>“that he plans to take up Creative Writing in college,” the older brunette said.</p><p>“Dunno where to go yet though,” Ben inserted.</p><p>“Wherever you go, they’ll want you there!” said Dean.</p><p>“What do you plan to do in college,” Lisa, to Jack’s relief, asked earnestly.</p><p>Jack opened his mouth to speak, he was sure he had an answer. But as he tried to give an answer his eyes found the bowl of menudo and his lips shut tight.</p><p>Castiel placed his hand on Jack’s shoulder, smiling softly when the boy turned to look at him, “It’s okay if you don’t know yet, Jack.”</p><p>“I know what he’s going to do,” claimed Claire, casually nudging Kaia’s side with her elbow.</p><p>“Please, don’t!” Jack raised his voice, his head immediately dropping low to hid his growing blush.</p><p>“What?” Lisa smiled, ear to ear, amused and confused. “What’s Jack going to do?” she asked.</p><p>“His boyfriend,” Ben said as he bit down on his filled up spoon.</p><p>Jack rose up and punched Ben’s shoulder lightly. “Jesse is not my boyfriend!” he clarified.</p><p>“Aha!” shouted Claire, her finger pointing directly at Jack. “Ben never said it was Jesse!”</p><p>“He’s not your boyfriend <em>yet</em>,” Kaia jibed with her girlfriend.</p><p>Jack buried his face in his hands, sighing as loudly as he could.</p><p>Dean’s hearty laugh then echoed throughout the kitchen. He turned to Lisa and said “Jack likes Jesse’s hair,” raising both eyebrows repeatedly in quick succession.</p><p>Lisa’s eyes widened. “Okay! Story time,” she said.</p><p>Jack grunted and everyone else on the table laughed.</p><p>“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with stories over dinner,” Castiel told his son.</p><p>“Relax! I’m not asking you details about Jesse,” Lisa clarified. “This one is about your dads.”</p><p>Dean immediately knew what story Lisa will be sharing. Castiel on the other hand was clueless and patiently waited for her to continue.</p><p>“We had just told our parents that I was pregnant. We decided to tell both sets at the same time at Dean’s house. John, your grandfather, told us to go upstairs to Dean’s room so the adults could talk. My mom and Mary gave him a puzzled look,” Lisa said almost giggling at every word, “and then dad raised his voice “It’s not like she can get knocked up while she’s still pregnant!””</p><p>Everyone laughed short of hysterical.</p><p>Lisa continued, “We ran up the stairs as fast as we could barely holding ourselves together from the laughter, and the fear, and just plain amusement.”</p><p>“That’s a fun memory,” Jack chimed in.</p><p>Dean took Castiel’s hand in his and squeezed tight. “Oh it isn’t finished yet,” he said.</p><p>Dean and Lisa exchanged knowing glances. Dean nodded and she continued with her story. “I asked your dad “What now?” and he stared at the wall and said—”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Dean said calmly, knowing every moment of that night and being at peace with them.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Lisa repeated. “And as a hormonal teenager whose feelings were tripled because of pregnancy I shouted at him for not knowing because I didn’t know what to do too. And in my head I believed that shouldn’t be the case. We can’t <em>both</em> be clueless.</p><p>“And then he steadied me before I fully panicked, looked me straight in the eye and said, “I don’t know what to do. But what I do know is we won’t tell Cass!” Like bringing up your best friend out of nowhere while having a conversation about your unborn child was completely normal.”</p><p>Dean laughed.</p><p>“May I?” Dean asked and Lisa gave him a nod. He felt like the rest of the story should come from him. He breathed in and squeezed Castiel’s hand. “I told Lis that we couldn’t tell you because you had a lot on your plate. College applications. Claire was a difficult baby to raise,” he turned to his adopted daughter and smiled ear to ear.</p><p>“Rude,” Claire said with a smile.</p><p>Dean continued. “And me having a kid would only make your stupid hair messier than it regularly was,” he told Castiel.</p><p>“In my head I was like, what does that have to do with anything about us?” said Lisa.</p><p>Dean breathed in, “But… BUT! She said it out loud. And I said “Maybe nothing to you. But I like that hair as it is.” And by then it was too late, the words came out of my mouth like hers did, and I knew I had to come out to Lis then and there.”</p><p>“But weren’t you still together at that time?” Kaia asked not particularly directed at any of the two.</p><p>Lisa perfectly knew that Ben wouldn’t be as happy as he is now if she and Dean didn’t break up that very night. Her son had an older sister and a brother that has his back. Did she want a regular nuclear family for her kid? Yes. But that was what <em>she</em> wants. Right now her son had twice the family that anyone could ever have. And if there were needs she couldn’t provide, Ben always had his siblings and his dad. Even Castiel was there for Ben when he needed a different perspective. And she was grateful.</p><p>Lisa sighed, “Sometimes you just have to know when you’re beat.” She smiled at Castiel.</p><p> </p><p>Dinner was over and the kids were watching some new series from Netflix in the living room. Lisa had left to spend the rest of the night with some of her friends and Dean and Castiel agreed to drive her to where they would meet up.</p><p>“I don’t get it,” Jack said, still on the floor, leaning on the sofa behind him.</p><p>Claire laughed from the loveseat. “There’s nothing <em>to</em> get,” she said.</p><p>“It’s just a bad remake of a fabulous kids show,” Kaia added, burying her head as much as she could in Claire’s neck.</p><p>“Why does every remake have to be so…” Jack paused, searching for the right word, “… Edgy? The characters tend to lose their personalities.”</p><p>“Don’t you love Riverdale?” Ben asked, shifting from how he laid down on the sofa to reach for the beer Dean let him have since he was staying the night.</p><p>“It’s a guilty pleasure,” Jack said. He didn’t even try to deny it.</p><p>Despite the asinine script, literal darkness when watching, and the ridiculousness of trying to pass 20-somethings as teenagers, Jack unironically enjoyed the show. The character Joaquin’s hair even reminded him of—</p><p>Jack’s phone buzzed and his face lit up brighter than his phone screen.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>[9:15PM] Jesse: Hey, good-looking. </em>
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</p><p>
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    <em>[9:15PM] Jesse: What’cha doing?</em>
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</p><p>A wide smile that forced his eyelids to nearly close stretched across his face. He wanted to reply with something witty to impress the other boy and he saw the timestamp on the text message.</p><p>
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    <em>[9:16PM] Jack: Hello, Schmuel!</em>
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</p><p>
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    <em>[9:16PM] Jack: Just Netflix with my sibs. </em>
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</p><p>Jack hoped Jesse would get the reference.</p><p>
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    <em>[9:16PM] Jesse: I’m not the girl from Odessa?! </em>
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</p><p>Jack’s face was flushed red. The other boy got the reference. He looked at his siblings and Kaia who were focused on the lackluster transformation of one of the characters on screen. <em>Sprouting flames is not a transformation</em>.</p><p>He opened his front camera and subtly raised his phone. He smiled softly and quietly took a selfie with everyone else in the background. Quietly if he remembered to turn off his system sounds.</p><p>When the shutter sound echoed throughout the room everyone’s attention turned to Jack. Jack on the other hand proceeded to send the selfie to Jesse and pretended everyone’s eyes wasn’t on him.</p><p>“Are you taking selfies?” Claire asked nonplussed. Jack wasn’t one to take selfies.</p><p>Ben threw a throw pillow at his brother, “Are you sending that to Jesse?”</p><p>“I do not know what you two are talking about,” Jack said flatly.</p><p>
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    <em>[9:17PM] Jack: [Sent a photo]</em>
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</p><p>
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    <em>[9:18PM] Jack: Like you said several times before</em>
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</p><p>
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    <em>[9:18PM] Jack: I’m the beautiful one.</em>
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    <em>[9:19PM] Jesse: Can’t say I disagree. Call?</em>
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</p><p>Jack stood up and began walking towards the stairs.</p><p>“Where are you going?” Kaia asked.</p><p>Jack turned to look back at her. He saw his siblings staring at him as well. “What’s with all the questions?”</p><p>Ben sat up, “Hey, answer our questions first.”</p><p>“His boyfriend is probably going to call,” teased Claire.</p><p>“We’ve gone on two dates, Claire!” Jack exclaimed.</p><p> </p><p>Before Jack even knew it he’d been in a call with Jesse for 2 hours. Jack could talk for hours when he was with Jesse. There’s something about the other boy that pulls him out of his usual quietness and makes him excited about everything.</p><p>But he could also keep silent and just let Jesse’s soothing voice quiet his thoughts, banish all the worries he’d been having since senior year started.</p><p>“Hey, Jack.”</p><p>Jesse’s voice snapped him out of his trance. He was staring at the boy on his laptop screen and apparently he had been silent this entire time. “Yes, Jesse?”</p><p>“You were completely still for a whole minute there,” said Jesse. “I thought my screen froze or something.”</p><p>Jack giggled, “Sorry, I just like staring at you.”</p><p>The other boy looked away from the camera a moment, biting his lips so the kilig he was feeling was contained.</p><p>“I like staring at you too,” Jesse said, looking straight into the camera so when Jack looked at his screen it would seem like they were gazing into each other’s eyes.</p><p>Both boys couldn’t hide their smiles. Jack was internally cursing himself for never taking the time to initiate any kind of conversation with Jesse before.</p><p>“I want to get to know you more, Jesse.”</p><p>“You mean that?”</p><p>Jack hugged his pillow tight and let the light from his laptop—No, Jesse—wash over him. “I never imagined I’d enjoy spending this much time with you,” he said.</p><p>Jesse laughed, more to himself than at what Jack said. “If you told me that before I would’ve asked you out sooner.”</p><p>“Why didn’t you?”</p><p>“I didn’t think you’d be interested,” Jesse said. “Didn’t even know you were gay.”</p><p>Jack tilted his head to the side, “I have gay dads.”</p><p>“But that doesn’t mean <em>you’re</em> gay,” the other boy stated. “I didn’t even know you had <em>gay</em> dads.”</p><p>The young Winchester couldn’t help but agree. “True. But I’m glad you took your chance,” Jack confessed.</p><p>A loud snore reverberated throughout the room and Jack suppressed his laughter as much as he could.</p><p>“What was that?” a confused Jesse asked.</p><p>Jack, still giggling, raised his laptop and faced it towards his bedside. There, sprawled out on the air mattress on the floor was Ben, feet spread apart and his entirety a tangle of blankets, pillows, and limbs.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Jack said, stifled laughter caught in his throat. “Ben snores when he gets into deep sleep.”</p><p>“Why didn’t you tell me Ben was there?” Jack can see the embarrassment in Jesse’s face.</p><p>“He was asleep as soon as he got here.”</p><p>The wheels in Jesse’s head started turning, “And when did he exactly get there?”</p><p>“About an hour ago.”</p><p>“You could’ve told me! He might have heard some of my darkest secrets,” said Jesse, his voice getting softer with each other near the end.</p><p>“I don’t think liking the Cats movie is a deep dark secret,” Jack said, laughing at how absurd he thinks Jesse right now.</p><p>“You know how people hate on it in social media!”</p><p>Jack sighed, “Jesse, I am not one of those people.”</p><p>Jesse hummed and smiled at Jack. He can’t wait to see that smile in person again.</p><p>“I think it’s a good movie, you know?” said Jesse.</p><p>“Cats?” Jack’s brows furrowed, “You just told me that not 30 minutes ago.”</p><p>“No—I mean yes,” and then Jesse paused, took time to collect his thoughts. “Yes, <em>I </em>think Cats is a good movie. But “Those People” is a good film too.”</p><p>“I don’t know that one,” Jack said.</p><p>Jesse’s eyes widened and his mouth gaped. This is an opportunity he couldn’t miss. “We can watch it together,” Jesse said, his voice rising in excitement.</p><p>“I would love to, Jesse.”</p><p>And there was a knock on Jack’s door and he immediately looked up. The door flew open and Dean pressed his lips together, “Time to go to sleep, kid.”</p><p>Jack frowned and flipped his laptop so it was facing Dean in the doorway.</p><p>Dean gave the boy on the screen a quick salute, “You must be Jesse!”</p><p>“Good evening, Mr. Winchester,” said Jesse, a little fear in his voice.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Jesse. Jack’s father has strict rules,” Dean said. He squinted to get a better look at the time on the laptop’s screen. “It’s almost midnight.”</p><p>“Okay,” Jack said begrudgingly. “Good night, dad.”</p><p>“Sleep well, kid.” And with that, Dean left and closed the door behind him.</p><p>Jack turned the laptop to face him again, “I’m sorry, Jesse.”</p><p>“Hey, it’s okay,” Jesse assured him, “house rules, am I right?”</p><p>“So is it a date?” Jack asked seemingly out of nowhere.</p><p>Jesse stared at the other boy, “What is?”</p><p>“Those People?” said Jack, sounding every word.</p><p>“Yes, good-looking,” said Jesse, a gummy smile presented on his face. “It’s a date. Good night, Jack”</p><p>“Good night, Jesse,” Jack said, knowing full well that that smile will carry him into good dreams.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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